What an engaging debut dystopian novel [3.5 for me!] this was! Since I knew there would be a sequel, I didn't worry about Seb, the protagonist, survivWhat an engaging debut dystopian novel [3.5 for me!] this was! Since I knew there would be a sequel, I didn't worry about Seb, the protagonist, surviving, but I was fascinated by the lengths this experimental program went to in order to make sure its participants emerged feeling happy. Of course, what happiness means is surely up to debate nowadays, and there are many individuals who might argue that it's absurd to think that humans can be happy all the time. Or that this state of mind is even desirable. While the plot covers some familiar territory, it also contains some surprises and will have readers on the edge of their seats as they ruminate on happiness, mental health, mental health providers, and eugenics. It's hard not to wonder if a place like HappyHead is already in the works as well as what prices we might pay in the pursuit of happiness. Certainly, individuality and thinking for oneself seem to have no place here. I'll be among the many eager readers who can't wait to read Dead Happy, the follow-up title....more
This futuristic novel might appeal to teen or middle grade readers who think they don't like science fiction. As other reviewers have said, reading itThis futuristic novel might appeal to teen or middle grade readers who think they don't like science fiction. As other reviewers have said, reading it really is downright scary since the events described in it due to climate change or global warming and the poor stewardship of humans seem increasingly likely. Don't be fooled by the book's title. The story is nothing like what most folks will have read before. Tasmania, where the story is set, is in bad shape. The narration shifts between two girls who have never met but have quite a lot in common. Both are about to be displaced, one due to impending ecological disaster and the other one due to bullying and the need to start fresh. Readers won't realize at first that the girls are separated by decades: It's 2093 in Nyx's story, and 2023 in Bea's vows, When Nyx pours out her anguish about the future on a scrap of paper that she hides in a tall pine tree near her home, her words are read by Bea, who responds through a notebook. Improbably, a friendship forms between the two girls, and Bea is determined to somehow help Nyx even though she knows that others will doubt her and make fun of her. For such a short book, this one packs quite an emotional wallop and will make many readers think how close this sort of a future may be. I liked it much more than I expected to....more
I'm sure I'm not only the one who wonders who will save humanity or the planet if humanity cannot save itself. Perhaps the answer can be found here inI'm sure I'm not only the one who wonders who will save humanity or the planet if humanity cannot save itself. Perhaps the answer can be found here in an unlikely form. Then again, perhaps not. Maybe humanity is beyond saving and will only destroy the world once again, given the chance. In this luminous and enlightening wordless picture book, loosely inspired by the classic Biblical Noah's ark story, the earth has flooded, and cities are almost completely drowned. There are no humans to be found, but there are still animals seeking shelter atop buildings and on higher ground. NOA, a large robot responsible for building seawalls to protect the city, stumbles upon several animals left behind in a zoo. Readers can measure his size by comparing it to the tigers and elephants he feeds since they look like toys compared to NOA. As the waters continue to rise and another storm approaches, he constructs a large vessel and boards as many animals as he possibly can. The sea bounds the boat relentlessly as shown in one moving double-page spread, but the ship crashes into a small island. The rescued animals are safe, but not for long, given the size of the island. From out of the sky comes rescue in the form of another robot with a hot air balloon. Together, they help the animals climb into the basket and fly off to a much larger island where the animals can find food and shelter. As always with this author/illustrator, readers must read between the lines or pages, in this case, and even take in the endpapers in order to understand what's happened. The illustrations, created with watercolor, pen, and ink, fill each page with intricate images and an atmospheric, futuristic setting that just might be closer than we think. Those that doubt that a machine or a robot could have a heart or experience emotions may change their minds after reading this story. The importance of caring about others and helping them, a concept stated clearly in the book's epigram from Jane Goodall, is explored on each page. ...more
Books like this one come so frighteningly close to present-day reality as well as this nation's past and possible future that reading them can leave rBooks like this one come so frighteningly close to present-day reality as well as this nation's past and possible future that reading them can leave readers feeling dismal and hopeless. Or the opposite can occur as readers are reminded that one person can make the difference and identifying and fighting to right what is wrong in a country are worth the effort and sacrifice, no matter how large. In her Author's Note, Ng acknowledges her hope that Vaclav Havel's essay on the power of the powerless will prove true. In this book she shows how that might happen while also describing the disastrous effects of the United States' Preserving American Culture and Traditions (PACT) legislation. [It's important to note that this legislation is the invention of the author herself, but its tenets come perilously close to acts from the nation's past.] In this future world, books considered to be unpatriotic or dangerous are removed from library shelves and children of anyone considered to be a dissident, a threat to cultural norms or outspoken, especially anyone of Asian descent, may lose his/her/their parental rights and have their offspring removed from their care. Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner has lived alone with his father after his mother, Margaret, left. Over the years, his memories of her have faded, especially since he and his father don't discuss her. But his curiosity is piqued when a classmate tells him just how important she is and how influential her poems have been, especially one with the phrase "our missing hearts." When Bird finds a clue as to her possible whereabouts, he leaves his Boston home for New York City where she might be. Since the story focuses first on Bird, then on his mother, and finally, on the final protest and revelations of the stories of all those missing children and the parents they left behind, and the aftermath, readers are treated to an emotion-laden tale that describes vividly the loss and confusion experienced by a child and a parent when they are separated. The book also holds librarians up as heroes amid the underground efforts to find where all those missing children have been taken and reminds readers of the power of words and shared stories. It's impossible to finish it and now ask oneself what is worth standing up for and how easy it is to demonize a particular group of individuals or limit free exchange of ideas in the name of security and caution. This one should generate much conversation as readers reflect on reactions during the early days of COVID-19, after the fall of the Twin Towers, during WWII and the Japanese internment camps, the existence of boarding schools for Native American children that attempted to erase their culture and indoctrinate them, and the separation of parent(s) and children at the country's southern border. I was deeply invested in this story of Bird, his mother, and saddened and angered by the direction this nation has taken in the book....more
After the invention of "Own Your Own Consciousness," which allows users to access and share their own memories and those of others, life as we know itAfter the invention of "Own Your Own Consciousness," which allows users to access and share their own memories and those of others, life as we know it changes. Honestly, in some ways, this futuristic novel seems to be only a couple of steps ahead of what's happening with technology, some good and some bad. This novel allows the author to rely on many different voices and writing styles as she drops in briefly on various characters. Readers spend only a brief time with each of them, but those encounters are often searing and leave them wanting to know more about each individual whose story is told here. At first it may seem as though there are no connections between each narrative, but that isn't the case as someone mentioned in the first pages of the book shows up later in his/her/their own narrative, a masterful plotting device that may have readers like me turning backward in the pages for a refresher about those initial encounters. An indictment of our own craving for more, more, more, and the latest and greatest as well as ways to fill our time and our lives, this novel prompts deep reflection about connections, relationships, the future, and how we parcel out our hours. It's impossible to read this one without pondering how much time is spent on social media and whether that immersion has somehow replaced in-person connections and whether that even matters in the long run. Reading this well-written and immersive book left me curious about the author's earlier books, which I plan to seek out. ...more
Although this author's books have been on my radar for some time, it was only at a trusted friend's urging that I finally picked this one up. Not onlyAlthough this author's books have been on my radar for some time, it was only at a trusted friend's urging that I finally picked this one up. Not only does the author faithfully, lovingly, and almost religiously describe parts of the Great Smoky Mountains, but he imagines a bleak future for this planet that just might not be as far off or unlikely as some might think. There are references to the power-mad and social-media addicted President of the United States and others in power that will seem uncomfortably true and reminiscent of the previous political administration as well as comments about science and space exploration or the search for other life forms that are downright startling--and yet, also, quite familiar. In so many ways, this futuristic novel swept me up and made me forget the world around me, but in other ways, it made me all-too-aware of the current state of the world as many species are endangered or extinct, caused by human encroachment, selfishness and apathy. The book opens as Theo Byrne, an astrobiologist, spends time in the wilderness with his son, Robin, a bright, troubled, neurodivergent nine-year-old. Both of them are still reeling from the death of Aly, Robin's mother, an environmental activist who died in a car crash. The author doesn't reveal everything about the relationship he and Aly had or the bond between mother and son right away or even the troubled school history Robin has, allowing these bits of information to filter in gradually. It's clear that Robin is quite a handful, but he also seems to trust his father, and their interactions are honest and true to life. Theo is desperate to help his son heal, and when Robin responds well to neurofeedback treatment, he is relieved but also somewhat jealous that the experimental treatment gives his son access to part of Aly's brainwaves and emotions. Still, Robin seems to be healing, thriving, and inspired to enlist others in his efforts to save the species that are dying. But when funding is cut, his progress slows and even regresses. Readers familiar with Daniel Keyes' Flowers for Algernon, written several decades ago, will recognize this part of the plot, acknowledged through Theo's sharing of the book itself with his son in Bewilderment, and read certain passages with a growing sense of foreboding and doom even while falling madly in love with this young boy's activism and clearsighted vision for the future. This is a book that will leave readers emotionally gutted and cynical about those in power as well as guilty about not taking more action to make a difference in the world around them/us....more
Although this debut novel is nowhere near as original and well written as The Handmaid's Tale, it's still well worth reading just for the disturbing vAlthough this debut novel is nowhere near as original and well written as The Handmaid's Tale, it's still well worth reading just for the disturbing vision of an over-regimented society that it depicts. In the worst case scenario, it provides a glimpse of what might happen in the future as the actions of parents, especially mothers, become the focus of various government agencies. In many respects, it seems to be a tongue-in-cheek examination of the expectations placed on women to be "good mothers," an idea that becomes increasingly horrifying over the course of the book's pages. Good mothers seem to be those who completely sacrifice themselves for their offspring, never making a mistake or taking their eyes off their children. After all, if they do so, if they ever become frustrated or leave the child unattended briefly, someone is watching or listening, and the blunder may be reported to authorities. In the case of the book's protagonist, Frida Liu, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, that's exactly what happens when she leaves her daughter Harriet alone after several days without much sleep, goes out for a beverage and to pick up something at the office. While her actions are certainly careless, the punishment is extreme. Child Protection Services picks up Harriet, gives her to Gust, Frida's ex-husband, and his new love interest, Susanna. Frida is closely monitored by cameras in her home, and she ends up being sent to a prison for failed or bad mothers where the inmates undergo rigorous training to help them become good mothers. If someone makes enough improvement, they can regain custody of their child. Using lifelike dolls, the women learn to parrot certain words and phrases and nurture these surrogates. Frida eventually becomes quite attached to her doll, Emmanuelle. It's clear that this placement is intended to break the spirits of any rebels as well as indoctrinate them into the expected motherly behavior, but it also seems impossible to pass muster or have any sort of a life outside of tending to that child. To add to the pain, Frida must go months without even a word from Harriet as her communication with the child has been curtailed. The scenes in which she says farewell to Harriet are quite heartbreaking and hard to read. The book's conclusion comes fast after many details about her months in the institution, and many readers will still be thinking about the book and whether they themselves could have fit the bill as a good mother as defined in the book. Some readers may even feel some guilt for how they've judged other mothers as being lacking in some way. ...more
Wow! This futuristic novel was quite different from the average read. Sixteen-year-old Benji, a trans boy has fled the fundamentalist Christian cult wWow! This futuristic novel was quite different from the average read. Sixteen-year-old Benji, a trans boy has fled the fundamentalist Christian cult where he was raised. Their leaders have decided to hasten the end of time through a virus that decays the human body from within. Hmm! In some respects that sounds a lot like COVID-19 and its early days. There's no way the cult will leave Benji alone since he is their Seraph and presumed secret weapon. But Benji is determined not to return to the fold. He is befriended by a group of teens living in the Acheson LGBTQ+ Center (ALC), led by Nick, who is on the autism spectrum and a fierce fighter. Nick knows the truth about Benji's nascent monster that he's keeping at bay, but he's also hiding something as well. He agrees to keep silent if Benji can harness his power for good. The plot itself is fascinating, original, and I could certainly see something like this playing its way out in the future as our nation and world become increasingly divided. The scenes in which the ALC trade the ears of their victims in the cult for food and supplies were rather grisly but quite telling about the conditions of this brave new world in which they're living. There is quite a lot of violence and gore, and readers will probably need to put the book aside for a few moments after some of the passages. What is especially noteworthy about this debut novel is how the queer characters aren't victims but are determined to stand up for themselves and save whatever parts of the world are worth saving. They are decidedly NOT victims. And while the world building is strong and some of the characters well developed, I never had the sense that I knew or understood any of the members of the Vanguard or the Angels. A bit more background and detail about them would have enhanced my appreciation of the story. There are parts of the story that I just didn't understand, but that didn't hinder my rapt reading of it and my reflection about the monsters that often lie beneath even the best intentions. ...more
**spoiler alert** Vera Glass has a loving, supportive family and friends who enjoy hanging out with each other. In their world, everyone has some sort**spoiler alert** Vera Glass has a loving, supportive family and friends who enjoy hanging out with each other. In their world, everyone has some sort of special aptitude--there are 72 aptitudes identified by experts--ranging from the ability to form light to the ability to open locks. Life should be wonderful, but Vera has the strange feeling that something is missing or that she's forgotten something or maybe even someone. She and her best friend Riven decide to investigate, following various theories about the girls they call the witches or other possibilities. They also recognize that nothing could be wrong at all. But as her friends start disappearing from her circle and from her memory, Vera becomes suspicious of a classmate. Could all this be laid at her feet? Could she be gifted with one of the most dangerous aptitudes of all? This novel is quite well plotted, and there are points in the story where readers will surely do a doubletake and ask themselves what just happened. While just about everyone has experienced that feeling of having forgotten something, the author takes the familiar feeling and spins it on its head, effectively describing Vera's initial feelings of uncertainty, growing confusion, and her efforts to get to the bottom of things. The ending is surprising as it involves a character that most readers will have discounted all along. Readers looking for something a bit different in their reading choices will find it here and will race through the pages to find out what they and Hayley are missing. Because the story unfolds over time, it's possible to note what is lost when things go back to normal and to consider how the presence or absence of one person in a life can make all the difference in the world. ...more
I'd strongly recommend reading War Girls before this follow-up or else risk playing catch-up for most of this futuristic novel, set in 2181. Nineteen-I'd strongly recommend reading War Girls before this follow-up or else risk playing catch-up for most of this futuristic novel, set in 2181. Nineteen-year-old Ify Diallo is poised for a successful medical career in the Space Colonies where she helps other refugees chart their own future. But when several refugee children in the hospital fall into comas, Ify must return to her Nigerian homeland to find the cure or the cause. Her trip causes many traumatic memories to revive, and she is gutted with what she remembers. Her path crosses that of Uzo, a young synth, whose job involves assisting an aid worker, Xifeng, in recovering images and details from the violence in Nigeria years earlier. This futuristic world boasts individuals whose memories have been completely erased as well as a governmental cover-up of the violence that occurred during the war. Instead, natural disasters have been blamed for any destruction that is still visible. Thus, painful memories and trauma no longer bother Nigerian citizens since no one remembers what happened, and yet, that also means no remembering the individuals who lost their lives during the conflict. The world in which the story takes place is one totally reliant on technology, which makes life easier and more efficient, but it also opens up the likelihood of government spying and recording of someone's every move. I did enjoy the book eventually, but the fact that the passages featuring Uzo were written in present tense with other distracting features made those sections in particular hard to slog through. The introduction of Peter, the refugee boy being adopted by Ify's friends only added to the confusion for me since he appeared sporadically, and it was hard to get a handle on his character. The book raises important questions that are well worth exploring, but I wish they'd been easier to unravel.
Although the author has provided more details about the dystopian world in which this funny series is set, I'd still love to have more information aboAlthough the author has provided more details about the dystopian world in which this funny series is set, I'd still love to have more information about the state of things and how Darth Susan got so much power at Otto Waddle Junior High School. Fans of the first book in this series will be just as entertained as they were the first time around. In this title, Timothy (Tip) Dover and his nerdy AV Club friends--the AV stands for Avoid Violence--are doing okay now that they have a few special abilities. But when another group of students pretends to be them, and Tip knows that those LAMERs are up to no good and must be stopped. Middle grade readers are sure to be entertained by all the action and drama and references to popular culture. I'd doubt that this could happen, all as the result of FANATICS' unhappiness with a movie or a television program, but then again, look at the reaction to Game of Thrones' last episode. Perhaps the author is making more of a social commentary with his book than might be visible on the surface. I'll be interested in reading any other books he creates since his reality often seems not far away from what's happening today. ...more
Lai Cathwell has the ability to read the thoughts of others, a gift that comes in handy in everyday life but also in the many conflicts that face her.Lai Cathwell has the ability to read the thoughts of others, a gift that comes in handy in everyday life but also in the many conflicts that face her. After she is recruited for a special mission by an old acquaintance, she must use her abilities to pull this most unlikely team together. As they train together, the four members of the team grow closer in some ways while also continuing to hold tightly to some of their secrets. In many ways, the book brought to mind Kristin Cashore's Graceling series, but it's nowhere near as developed. Perhaps if there's a follow-up, many of the questions I had and the dangling loose ends will be answered and tied up, but I had to force myself to finish it. I liked the title of the book and the way it starts out, but I kept asking myself why anyone would agree to go on what was sure to be a suicide mission or why it took so long for anyone to realize the importance of being able to feed this new order. The reasons for this particular world and its citizens being at war with one another needed to be fleshed out more, and then, the book would be stronger. Still, fans of this sort of thing will likely enjoy it and be relieved that Lai has finally met someone she can trust. All the characters seem so young to be thrust into these situations, and so talented and world weary at a tender age....more
In a future that might be a lot closer than we think, Sam Gregorious and his gifted friends have too much time on their hands now that their gifted anIn a future that might be a lot closer than we think, Sam Gregorious and his gifted friends have too much time on their hands now that their gifted and talented high school no longer exists. They've been working on a special project for the best five months--a portable lie detector that could spell financial success and soft lives for the teens. As they get closer to finishing it, Sam is approached by a shady character who wants to buy the rights to the plans. But he and his friends are fearful that the lie detector will simply be destroyed or misused, a concern that is heightened after his friend, Theo, the brains behind the project, is killed. Along with his mother, a veteran who has lost both legs, and some other surprising allies, the teens must outrun government officials, the military, and the President of the United States to save their own lives and to keep their invention from disappearing. The book's pace is fast and furious even while it explores questions of honesty and how powerful individuals often manipulate the truth to get what they want. But as Sam and the others come to realize, some truths are harmful and some lies might actually be kind. I loved the first two thirds of the book, but became slightly bored once Sam and his friends had managed to make several copies of the lie detector, and everything in the government started falling apart. I'd have enjoyed the book more with more back story for what led to the nation's current conditions as depicted in the story line. That aspect of this story seemed quite promising to me, but the author didn't deliver what I hoped he would in that respect. ...more
Eleven-year-old Auden Dare is unable to see colors, a condition known as achromatopsia, and he often endures teasing because of his differences. He's Eleven-year-old Auden Dare is unable to see colors, a condition known as achromatopsia, and he often endures teasing because of his differences. He's sure that his uncle, a scientist, has been working on a machine that will help him see colors. When he and his mother move into his uncle's house after his unexpected death, Auden discovers a marvelous robot named Paragon that his uncle designed. With his friend, Vivi, who also knew his uncle, Auden tries to help Paragon figure out his true purpose. Given that there were frequent references to water shortages and everyone being dirty and thirsty and wars were being fought over water, I had a pretty good idea what that purpose might turn out to be. But the unfolding of the story is gentle, just as gentle as the friendship that springs up between boy and machine and how desperate Auden is to keep Paragon from being used by the military forces around them. The author has created an interesting world, one in which prices for food are outlandish and water is rationed, one that might not be that far in the future. There is even a subplot involving Auden's father that keeps readers wondering about what happened to him. Even though I was pretty sure how this would all turn out, I still enjoyed reading the book. My favorite scenes occurred when Paragon was racing through the fields with Auden and Vivi in his arms. The fact that Paragon was constantly spouting poetry, something that Auden didn't really understand at first reveals the depth and humanity to this machine. If anyone doubts that a robot can feel human emotions, this book will convince them otherwise. ...more
I'd give this one a 3.5 because it raises several questions about how far the government should be allowed to intrude into the emotional lives of its I'd give this one a 3.5 because it raises several questions about how far the government should be allowed to intrude into the emotional lives of its citizens even when it has the good of the whole group in mind. But some of the events near the conclusion marred my enjoyment of this book set far in the future. At its heart, it's a dystopian novel about the great divide between the haves and the have-nots. Sixteen-year-old Violet Crowley, the daughter of the President of New Earth, is one of the privileged ones. As Old Earth had become increasingly dangerous and unhealthy, he came up with the idea of two Earths, the original one where the environment is being destroyed, and crime, drugs and poverty are the norm, and the other one is a haven for those with money and essential skills. To insure that New Earth remains safe from the ravages of the citizens' former home, the government uses a device called the Intercept--think the Internet but taken to extremes--to monitor and capture individuals' emotions, using those emotions later as punishment or to motivate would-be criminals to confess. Violet has no reason to question the status quo until her crush on a cop, Danny Mayhew, leads her to some disturbing discoveries about the Intercept and the conflict between emotions and intelligence. The book makes readers think about just how far governments should be allowed to keep a watch on its citizens and whether it is ever right to sacrifice freedom and self-determination for the security of a nation. Anyone paying attention to recent political events can attest to the book's relevance and wonder just how far away this sort of future might be. It makes me want to avoid the Cloud and all online activity, even this review. YIKES! The future seems to be closer every day. ...more
It's no secret that some fans will go to great lengths to meet their idols, even almost becoming a part of that imaginary world. In this book, Violet,It's no secret that some fans will go to great lengths to meet their idols, even almost becoming a part of that imaginary world. In this book, Violet, her two best friends Alice and Katie and her younger brother head off to Comic-Con to meet the actors who play their favorite roles in The Gallows Dance, a book that has enchanted all of them except Katie for years. Alice even writes fan fiction set in that world. Dressed as their favorite characters, they are set to get autographs and photos when a strange accident thrusts them into the story and the world in which it takes place. Suddenly, Violet must take the place of Rose, the book's heroine, when their arrival causes her to die prematurely. Doing so means that she will be hanged, though, in order to save her friends as all of them are swept up in the conflict between the Gens and the Imps. As secrets about the perfection of the Gens are revealed and Violet meets Willow, the hero of her dreams, she realizes that he isn't the object of her affections, after all. But what happens when a character or an actor deviates from the script? Although I realized what was going on early on with all the hospital sounds, I still ended up enjoying this venture into another place and time and wondering about how hard it must be to live up to the expectations of those loyal fans that support a book, a movie or a song. After all that success, which is arguably due to the fans, how much autonomy does a creator actually have? This book might make readers ponder that question and then pray for moderate success rather than cracking the best seller with their own books....more
3.5 for me on this book. As I read The Forgetting, I thought about what it would be like to have your past erased and everything during the preceding 3.5 for me on this book. As I read The Forgetting, I thought about what it would be like to have your past erased and everything during the preceding 12 years simply gone from your memory and from those of others, giving you a chance to start anew. The premise here is pretty interesting, but then, the more you think about it, the more problematic it becomes. You'd no longer have the name you had used all of your life or your family, and those you loved and whom loved you back would mean nothing to you. Maybe even worst of all is the very fact that you could get away with just about anything during the day designated as The Forgetting since there'd be no consequences or memories of any of your actions on that day. That's the way it is for Nadia and her fellow residents of Canaan. The citizens are safe and make sure to stay within the city's stone walls in order to stay that way. But Nadia remembers what happened before the last Forgetting, and now that she's older and facing yet another Forgetting, she is determined to get to the bottom of what causes everyone else to forget while she can remember. Amid all her efforts, she also finds herself falling in love with Gray, the son of the glassblower. I wasn't sure what to expect here as Nadia and Gray team up to topple the system, and unlike some other reviewers, I didn't find the beginning to be all that slow. I actually enjoyed most of the book a great deal, but got a bit tired of it during the last 25 or so pages when everything was getting sorted out and all the loose ends were being tied up. I could have done without that. But overall, I liked Nadia even though I found a lot of the things that happened to her to be almost beyond belief, and I wanted to see her have a happy ending. The author has certainly created a most unlikable villain in this book, one who clearly was able to manipulate everyone around her for her own goals. ...more
Picking right up where Brave New Girl ended, Dahlia 16 and Trigger 17 have escaped from the Lakeview clone farm that provides servants for the wealthyPicking right up where Brave New Girl ended, Dahlia 16 and Trigger 17 have escaped from the Lakeview clone farm that provides servants for the wealthy members of their society. Both end up in the home of Waverly Whitmore where Lorna, Waverly's mother, provides them shelter, but only because she plans to use Dahlia. As it turns out, Dahlia is the original one, and Waverly is a clone of her, and when Dahlia is accidentally inked with the matching wedding stamp for Hennessy Chapman, Waverly's future husband, Dahlia must pretend to be Waverly for all her public appearances. Since Waverly has a huge online following, this requires a bit of finesse and training, and Dahlia uses the opportunity to speak out about cloning. Waverly is doing some investigating of her own, particularly once she learns that the clones, including her, have an expiration date, and she befriends one of the servant clones in her home, weaning her off of the supplements that are included in the food fed to clones to suppress their personalities. I loved how Waverly changed over the course of the book, from a vapid reality star, to someone willing to risk her life to reveal the truth about clones. I was completely satisfied with the ending and all the drama with the Administrator. If nothing else, this book proves that one person with the right connections or "followers" in the case of Waverly's social media can make a huge difference in the world. But first, he/she will need to open his/her eyes to what's going on around him/her. As much as I enjoyed the first book in this duology, I was not disappointed in the least by the sequel. I'd have liked more character development on the part of some of the characters, such as Hennessy, Lorna, and the administrator, of course, but I still was completely hooked by the book's story line. And Trigger just totally rocks with all of his tech-savvy ways. I'd want him on my team if I were going up against the system. ...more
Having enjoyed this author's previous books, I figured I'd give this one a shot. I was not disappointed, and I think many middle grade readers will enHaving enjoyed this author's previous books, I figured I'd give this one a shot. I was not disappointed, and I think many middle grade readers will enjoy this one's humor. It is the same sly sort of thing used in those other titles, a little bit knowing and a little bit self-deprecating. There are sly jabs at invisible principals who are never around when they're needed and comments about the focus on standardized tests. Since the story is set in some unnamed future time--it could be in two or three years the way things are going--the author is able to paint a picture of a society completely run amuck. There are food shortages and gangs of kids roam the streets in the evening, led by Marsha Ledbetter who relies of emojis to communicate and whose name has given rise to the term "Marsha Law." There's a school cryer who yells out announcements, and as always, there is conflict between the various social groups at the school. The real power at Otto Waddle Jr. High Government Outpost (WADD, for short) is Mrs. Susan who runs the office and the school with an iron fist. Society has broken down, partly over a film that disappointed its fans and polarized the community. Now the narrator, Timothy (Tip) Dover, and his three intellectual pals, Mindy, Owen, and Xen, are just trying to make it to the end of the school year. They band together in the AV Club (which means the Avoid Violence Club) to stay out of reach of the jocks and others who intend them harm. When their clever prank involving grease goes awry, the youngsters stumble upon a hidden room and are bitten by spiders whose bites have a surprising effect on them. There are all sorts of twists and turns in this book, and readers who like this sort of fare will be eager for the next book featuring these smart kids and a very strange world. While I had never envisioned dystopia in this way, the approach works and makes me wonder how far away we are from such happenings. The competitions for school supplies seem very real. ...more
In this dystopian-lite book, when anyone reaches the age of eighteen, the name of his/her true love--their Meant to Be (MTB)--appears scrawled on his/In this dystopian-lite book, when anyone reaches the age of eighteen, the name of his/her true love--their Meant to Be (MTB)--appears scrawled on his/her chest. Free-spirited (sort of) Agatha Abrams has never believed in this fated love, and even calls these romantic connections "Empties." I had high hopes for this book because of this original concept and the humor, but my interest flagged about halfway through, and I was more than a little annoyed that such an interesting concept wasn't explored in depth; nor was there ever an explanation provided for why these names of someone's intended started appearing on humans six years ago or whom was responsible. Aggie begins a brief interlude with Luke Jacobs who works at the same amusement park she does, and while the build-up to sex is heated, the follow-through is disappointing for her,and Luke is far more enamored with her than she expected. Even while Aggie resists the idea of a soul mate determined by fate or some outside source, she grows increasingly curious about Hendrix Cutter, her MTB, and once she realizes where he lives, she questions all her indecision. After all, she has plans of heading to Australia rather than college after graduation. I ended up disappointed in how the plot developed as well as feeling as unsatisfied as Aggie was after being with Luke because there were too many holes dangling and issues unexplored. For instance, who says that anyone, male or female should be defined by the romantic relationship they are in, and how could her friend Lish do such a quick turnaround once her MTB, Travis, arrived on the scene. I suppose those who believe in the concept of love at first sight will ultimately enjoy this book, but for cynical old me, someone who believes that love is built on slowly getting to know someone and that it often waxes and wanes over the ages, this match-making seemed problematic since it was based on nebulous factors. Still, reading it might encourage some interesting conversations about love, sex, mutual attraction, and fate. I don't think I'll ever look at a ride on an amusement park in quite the same way again. ...more